This invention relates generally to performance limitations that applications encounter when accessed over a network connection, and more specifically, to methods and systems for predicting application performance by developing an understanding of the performance limitations that applications encounter regarding, for example, bandwidth, latency, packet loss and connection utilization, coupled with a number of users accessing the application.
When an understanding of performance limitations for one or more applications has been developed, it enable a sales force, product managers, architects and developers associated with a particular application to understand the performance boundaries of the application. Such an understanding is important when developing target campaigns for customers who can effectively use the application. In addition, the understanding of performance limitations allows those associated with the application to implement changes to expand the performance boundaries.
Further, an understanding of performance limitations enables companies to effectively estimate connectivity requirements (both LAN and Internet) for acceptable system response time, and to determine how effectively systems will perform based on existing network conditions that include the aforementioned bandwidth, latency, packet loss, utilization, and number of users.
Currently, an understanding of performance limitations in regard to a specific system or network configuration is accomplished through individualized custom testing of the application in a single company-specific scenario. The disadvantages of such testing include the high cost and excessive amount of time and resources to do individual testing for all potential scenarios. Finally, for purveyors of such applications, an inability of third parties to perform their own analysis and decision making result in additional disadvantages.